1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an optical component and an adapter including the same, and more particularly to an optical component used in the fields of communications and the like, and an adapter including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been proposed an optical attenuator which is comprised of a plastic flange, a first zirconia ferrule, a second zirconia ferrule, and an attenuating optical fiber (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H10-39145 (paragraphs [0032] to [0034] and FIG. 1).
The plastic flange has a hole formed in a central portion of the plastic flange.
The first zirconia ferrule is inserted into one end of the hole of the plastic flange.
The second zirconia ferrule is inserted into the other end of the hole of the plastic flange.
An optical fiber is inserted through the first and second zirconia ferrules fitted in the plastic flange.
To assemble the optical attenuator, first, the first zirconia ferrule is press-fitted into the one end of the hole of the plastic flange, and the second zirconia ferrule is press-fitted into the other end of the hole of the plastic flange.
Next, the optical fiber is inserted through the first and second zirconia ferrules.
After that, the optical fiber is fixed to the first and second zirconia ferrules with an adhesive.
Finally, the end faces of the first and second zirconia ferrules are Advanced-PC-polished.
Although in the above-described optical attenuator, an uncoated optical fiber is normally used, it is impossible to use tweezers to assemble the optical attenuator since there is a fear of damaging the optical fiber by the tweezers. Therefore, it was necessary to pick up the optical fiber directly with fingers to assemble the same.
However, the optical fiber is difficult to pick up with fingers, so that it has been impossible to easily insert the optical fiber through the first and second zirconia ferrules.
Further, when the optical fiber is inserted through the second zirconia ferrule after it is inserted through the first zirconia ferrule, the optical fiber is axially displaced, and hence it is difficult to position the optical fiber with respect to the first and second zirconia ferrules. Therefore, to position the optical fiber, the optical fiber was caused to slide many times, which sometimes damages the surface of the optical fiber.